The Girl in the TuTu
by crazy4booth
Summary: When the body of missing ballerina is discovered in a dance theater it's up to Bones and Booth to find the killer which may or may not prove a suspect innocent. SPECIAL APPERANCE BY: Howard Epps! Not very many chpaters but they are long!
1. Chapter 1

Booth and Brennan are on their way to the lastest crime scene. On their way, they are discussing Angela and Hodgins relationship in the lab.

"Come on Bones you have to admit they are a cute couple I mean they've been flirting with each other for how long?"

"They are kind of nice togther, but I think Angela was right inholding off on that kind of a reltionship. Having that kind of commitment with someone you work with makes things complicated."

"How? Why?"

"If you had enemies they would use that love against you nd then someone could get seriously hurt."

"God Bones, you sound like a jedi master 'be midful of your thoughts Luke they betray you!!!'"

"What are you talking about? My name's not Luke!!!!"

Booth and Brennan arrive at the crime scene. It is the Beethoven Theater of Arts building. They make their way to the crime scene, passing all of the reporters and photographers. Brennan heads to where the body is located which is in a small area underneath the stage.

"It's a female I'd say about 19 years of age. White, Blonde hair, she's been dead about 5 months."

"I've got some items the forensics team found in the surrounding area, looks like a locket, a t-shirt, and couple of earrings."

"Good, I'll have this body sent to the Jeffersonian along with these items."

"The locket has engraved on the front the name 'Sarah' possibly our victim?"

"Could be the equipment and dental records will give us a for sure answer."

At that moment a man who claimed to be the owner of the theater apporached Booth and Brennan.

"Excuse me I would like to know how this body got here at my theater?"

"Just exactly who are you?"(Booth)

"I'm Stanley Prickard. I own this theater and demand to know how in the name of god this body got here!!!!!"

"Mr. Prickard my partner and I are working on this case but we do need your total cooperation."

"Very well, but my I ask what are you doing with my daughter's shirt?"

Booth holds out a pink shirt with the words "dance" in glitter.

"This is your daughter's shirt?"

"Yes"

"Then is this body..."

"No it can't be my daughter's. I have twin girls, both of them are here with me. They're in their dressing rooms right now if you would like to speak to them."

"Mr. Prickard, my forensic's team needs to examine the shirt for evidence however we will need to question you and your daughters soon."(Bones)

"Very well, you may contact us anytime at the theater"

With that said and done Booth and Brennan head back to the Jeffersonian to examine what they found.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay sorry this chapter maybe a little short but it's better than nothin.

Back at the lab Booth stops by Brennan's office to follow up on the case. She's examning the reports her team has done so far on the case.

"Anything yet for me Bones?"

"Zack is trying figure out the cause of death. Hodgins is examning the locket and earrings and Angela is working on a facial construction."

"What are you looking at?"

"The t-shirt we found was purchased at a local dance shop just down the street from the theater. And get this we found human hair stuck in the fibers. I've sent it to the DNA lab to see if we possibly have a victim match."

Angela walks into her office during their conversation to inform Brennan and Booth that she has a face.

"Her name is Sarah Cronell. She's 20 years old and the star dancer at the theater. She disappered about 6 months ago."(Angela)

"Hey everyone just got a call from the DNA lab. It turns out the hair in the fibers belong to Samantha Prickard. She's one of the two daughters of Stanley Prickard."(Hodgins)

"Well sounds like that talk we need to have with him and his daughters is now."(Booth)

Booth and Brennan are in the Prickard girls' dressing room (with them fully dressed) talking about Sarah Cronell.

"Good afternoon, Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan. I'm Samantha this is my sister Carly."

"Hi girls, my partner and I would like to speak to the two of you about Sarah Cronell. Samantha let's start with you. Did you know Sarah Cronell."

"Of course, she was mine and Carly's best friend. She danced with us here at the theater, went on shopping trips with us, she was like our thrid sister."

"This t-shirt belongs to you does it not?"(Brennan)

"Yes I thought I had lost it forever /Sarah and I liked to trade each others clothing a lot of times. I let her borrow it a few months ago, just before she disappered."

"We found it at the crime scene with her body and the shirt had your hairs in the fiber. Hairs that we not very old meaning you wore the shirt recently."(Dr. Brennan)

"I haven't worn that shirt for months. The last time I saw it was back in May. Sarah was meeting her boyfriend for the weekend in New York City and asked to borrow my shirt because it was her favorite and I guess she wanted to look good for him."

"really?"

"Agent Booth I swear to god I'm telling the truth."

"Agent Booth, my sister and I were very much close to Sarah why would she harm her?"(Carly)

"I didn't say she did anything to her."

"Well you sure are making it sound like she did do something."

"What about you Carly how was your relationship with her?"

"She was pretty cool, an excellent dancer, Sarah I mean. She spent a whole week with me teaching sashes. I finally got a hold of the concept. I had hoped to someday be as good as her and my sister."

"What about the boyfriend you mentioned eariler? What do you know of him?"(Brennan)

"Carly and I know nothing about the boyfriend other than she has one. She kept her lovelife kind of secret. I guess cause of her mom. She wouldn't approve of the guy. All I know is that he's a rapper for some club just a few blocks away from here. Talk to her mom and see what she says..."

Back in the car Booth phones the FBI asking them to call Sarah's mother to come in for questions. She arrives at the interrgation room about an hour after they arrive at Booth's office.

"Barbra Cronell?"

"That's me"

"My name is Special Agent Seeley Booth and this is my partner Dr. Temperance Brennan."

"I'm a forensic anthropologist. I was the one identifed your daughter"

"Pleasure to meet you both"

"We are very sorry for your loss."(Booth)

"Thank you I can't understand who would do something like this to her. She was such a sweet girl and an excellent student."

"Was she attending college?"(Brennan)

"Yes the local communtiy college outside of DC on interstate 47. She was studying to become a dance teahcer and earned her grants trough the dance program at the theater. They were paying for her full ride as long as she worked at the theater and just loved it. Her whole life after all was devoted to her studies and dance."

"We were recently informed that she had boyfriend. Do you know anything about that?"

"She was seeing a guy name Tony Pittin, but he seemed a little too dark and low class for her so I forbidded them from being together. But I imagine they did sneak off together a few times. I became even more upset when I found out that at the time they were going out he was seeing another woman."

"Did she know about the other woman?"

"I think so, I'm honestly not sure. She was too wrapped up in Tony to even notice his secret life. Oh and there's one more thing you ought to know."

"Yes, we're listening."

"When I first met Tony I asked to keep a picture of him so I can remember him when he visits and I noticed something awhile back that disturbs me a little now more than it did then. I have a picture of him at home with two other guys. One I know is no stranger to the law. The one guy is a man named Howard Plankton who was a good buddy of Tony's. He's in Iraq now serving for the army. But the other guy worries me..."

"It's okay Mrs. Cronell you can tell us..."(Brennan)

"The other man in the picture is a guy by the name of Howard Epps..."


	3. Chapter 3

BACK AT THE LAB:

"So could this possibly be one of Epps' victims?"(Booth)

"She does fit the profile. Young, Blonde, and very innocent"(Angela)

"She doesn't fit the timeline and wasn't face down which is his style of murders sort of speak."(Zack)

"Epps may not have murdered this girl but maybe he can tell us something about the boyfriend."(Bones)

"I can go and talk to him...alone...I mean cause I know how uncomfortable he makes you feel."

"You should still take Brennan with you though cause haven't you ever noticed he always reveals some big clue when ever she's around. He's attracted to her and maybe that is what will make him talk to you guys, otherwise he may not talk."(Angela)

"Angela's right Booth. The killer may still be out there and we need all the info we can get."

MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON:

"Well well well if it isn't my favorite agent and doctor. What do I owe the pleasure this time?"

"Cut the chit-chat Howie. We need some info."

"Well else is new Agent Booth? Dr. Brennan how have you been since we last met? Do you still think of that guy? Has you shooting him still left a mark on your soul? Do think, feel, or remember what that was like?"

Temperance gives him a look of disgust.

"Ok here's the deal. You tell us what we need to know, cut the flirting and we all walk away happy. Ok? Great I'm glad we got that settled."

Epps stares at him.

"You know this girl? Her name is Sarah Cronell."

"Nope, I've never seen her before. God though she's beautiful. Why do you always save the best for last. She would have made a great victim."

"Well hate to rain on your parade Howie but someone else got to her first."

"Then what do you need me for?"

"Sarah's mother says you knew her daughter's boyfriend. Does the Tony Pittin ring a bell?"

"Oh yes, good ol' Tony. He was High School buddy, good guy...Very much a ladies man."

"Have you talked to him recently?"

"No"

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious Booth?"(Bones)

"She's even smarter than I orignally thought and your right. Tony and I lost contact after I was put in jail. He wanted nothing to do with gangs, drugs, sex, nothin...Bet his life boring."

"He's the smart one..."(Bones)

"Do you know anything else?"

"I've pretty much told you all I know about Tony and this Sarah girl, I've never even met...wish I had though."

"You're lying. I can see it in your eyes...you know more than you're telling us...why?"

"What do my eyes tell you?"

Brennan stares into his creepy serial killer eyes. He's definetly hiding something.

"All I'm saying is that apperances are decieving, suspect everyone, cause they all point fingers at each other. Maybe there is more than one killer a foot."

IN BOOTH'S CAR:

Booth phones the FBI in an attempt to track down Tony Pittin for questioning. They inform him that he lives only 30min away from their location. On their way there Hodgins contacts Brennan with information on the locket and earrings.

"Brennan"

"The locket is solid 14K gold and was made at shop called the Precious Metals of Life Boutique, it was burned and the owner killed. As for the earrings they were from an old antique shop from the 70s. My guess is that the earrings were a family heirloom."

"Good work. Booth and I are going to talk with Tony. See if you can help Zack determine a murder weapon, cause of death, and any other dirt you can dig up."

"Dirt's my specialty!!!!"

TONY PITTIN'S HOME:

"Tony this is the FBI we have some questions for you please answer the door."

Booth continues to knock the door. Brennan walks out to the back yard to find Tony playing with a child.

"Are you Tony Pittin?"(Brennan)

"Yes, if you're here to sell me something..."

"No we're from the FBI and would like to ask you some questions."

"Sure but can we stay outside I have to keep an eye on Tommy. I babysit for my neighbors next door. So what can I do for you?"

"We have some questions about a girlfriend of yours...Sarah Cronell?"(Booth)

"Sarah, god I haven't heard from her in..."

"months?"

"yeah..."

"Her mother claimed you were seeing another woman."

"Oh my god Rachel!!!"

"Who's Rachel?"(Bones)

"Rachel was a girl I was dating a few years ago and broke up when I found out she was late-night prostitute at some bar in downtown DC. The girl was all over me after that. I tried applying for restraining orders but they never worked. Sarah's mom must have saw us together and thought we were going out."

"Did this Rachel know about Sarah and was she angry?"(Bones)

"Yeah I'm pretty sure she knew about Sarah. I know she got a few threats from her and I think they did get in one mild fight but that was the end of it. I never saw her after that"

"So then you were the last one to see her?"

"Unless she went to meet somewhere afterwards yes. May I ask what this is all about."

"Tony Sarah Cronell is dead."(Bones)

"Oh my god and you think I did it?"

"Actually Tony we've got several suspects. Your old buddy Howard Epps gave us tips so we thought we'd check you out for our own eyes."

"Please you've got to believe me I loved Sarah. I had hoped we could marry after she finished college of course."

"All that I ask is that stick around Tony. Okay?"(Booth)

"Absolutely, but I want to make one thing clear. I DID NOT MURDER HER!!!!"

"Good day Mr. Pittin..."(Booth)

"Thanks for your cooperation..."(Bones)


	4. Chapter 4

IN BOOTH'S CAR ON THE WAY TO THE JEFFERSONIAN:

"Booth what's wrong?"

"God, so this is what Epps was talking about. Everyone has some kind of murder lead to killing Sarah."

"What do you mean?"

"The evidence we found the with body suggest that Samantha was with her around the time of her death. The boyfriend was the last person to see her alive and now we've got this Rachel character who could have possibliy murdered her from jealously!!!"

"Booth don't jump to conclusions. There has no some fact out there that disproves all of ths and will lead us to the real killer."

Brennan's cell rings.

"Brennan"

"Dr. Brennan we have how our victim died. He neck was broken from what appeared to being being hit with something heavy and rough and no more than approximately 6-8 inches. Right now and Hodgins and I working on the weapon but for now our best guess is a brick, but it could be something else."

"Alright test a brick on the death dummy in the lab and see if you get a match. Booth and I should be back in the lab soon, but keep working on it."

"What's a death dummy?"

"The newest Jeffersonian toy...Is a dummy we can program to fit the victim closet characteristics size, weight, and muscular structure and when it is attacked by something the computer monitoring it's action will record the force and resulted damage to it onto the computer."

"That's something. I think we need to talk to our suspects again, but this time will we will do it one at a time and then we get them all in the same room."

Booth phones the FBI

"Hey I need you to bring in Tony Pittin, Samantha Prickard, and when you call Tony ask him for info on his ex-girlfriend Rachel, I want you to track her down and bring her in as well."

Booth drops Brennan off at the lab so she can continue to work with the body, while Booth's goes back to the FBI to question his suspects more.

"Well Samantha, looks like since you're here first, I guess we'll start with you."

"Ok"

"We found Sarah's boyfriend. His name is Tony Pittin..."

"Oh my god she was going out with Tony!!!!"

"So you do know him?"

"Yeah I know him, but I didn't know he was going out with her."

"How do you Tony?"

"Tony was an old boyfriend of Carly's in middle school. When Tony moved outside of the DC distrcit they broke up. I haven't seen him though in years. Him and Carly were crazy about each other."

JEFFERSONIAN LAB:

"Zack, what have you and Hodgins found out?"

"Our tests turned out a match. We actually did several different sceniros of Sarah being hit by the brick."

"We did a case were she was being pushed, one she was sturggling, one unconscious, and several others."

"So what was the result?"

"The closet match of about 98 match was Sarah had been attacked from behind and the body was moved."(Zack)

"Angela did a scenerio on the computer for us. Ange is you please..."

"Okay this is what I cam up with. Most likely scenerio...Sarah was sitting down somehwere possibly a dressing room and was attacked from her back causing her to fall back from her chair and falling on the floor. Now our killer who was wearing extreme protective wear mask, gloves, black outfit, the whole kit and kaboodle simply grabbed the body and gave it a toss down into the cellar where her body went to rest for 5 months."

"Okay what about the attacker? Muscular strength, size? Things like that?"

"Judging by what Hodgins and Zack experimented I would say the killer would have to be pretty close to Sarah's size. Except for the muscules they would have to have a little more muscules than she did. Otherwise I'd say about the same height and weight."

"I'll call Booth he's questioning again and I'll update him."

"Dr. Brennan..."

"Yes Zack..."

"May I suggest something?"

"Sure"

"Tell Booth that before the suspects leave to get measurements of all of them. Measure their height and weight that my help us get one step closer."

Brennan goes to her office to call Booth. She reaches him at a perfect time. He tells her Samantha just stepped out to use the restroom.

"Booth, get measurements of everyone you talk to down there. We maybe one step closer to finding the killer"

"How?"

"Zack and Hodgins ran the test and confirmed that Sarah had been hit in the neck from a brick from behind. The attacker is someone who is about her height and weight, but with a little more muscule structure."

"Okay, so weight, height, anything else?"

"It probably wouldn't hurt to get a picture of them just for reference and write down on the back of the picture their height and weight measured."

"Sure thing I'll stop by when I get done."

"Thanks"


	5. Chapter 5

Booth continues to question Samantha.

"Do you if Tony and Sarah knew each other before she worked at the theater?"

"No. Carly and I never met her until she started working their for her college benefits. Sarah did not go to the same middle and high schools as us. So I can imagine that they had never met up until then."

Another officers walks into the interrogation room to inform Booth that Tony as arrived and is ready to be questioned. Booth tells Samantha to hang out in his office for now whille he questions Tony and will come get her when he's ready for her to come back. The officers takes Samantha to get her picture done and Tony walks into the room.

"Wow agent Booth I didn't except you to call me back in so quick!!!"

"We've gotten some more info on Sarah but what I need from you is more info on this Rachel person..."

Tony is silent. Booth senses that he too, like Epps, is protecting someone.

"Hunter..."

"What?"

"Her last name...Rachel Hunter. Remember what I said about the threats and so forth...well there was a little bit more than that. I know Rachel stalked Sarah a couple of times. The last time I spoke to Rachel was a few weeks before Sarah disappered."

"and what did you two talk about?"

"Rachel said that she had been watching Sarah lately and said that she desreved to die because of how she was treating me."

"And that would be?"

"Sarah never did anyhting to me nor did I to her. We had gotten in an argument about a guy she was friends with...Christopher. I though she was seeing him behind my back and she swore that she wasn't. I did a little research and found out that Sarah was part of somekind of tutor society and he was one of her students. I felt bad about the way things happened so to make up for it I had planned to take her to New York City and then she disappered."

"Just as Samantha said. She too told us that you and Sarah were making plans to go to New York City...Tony will you please excuse me while I make a phone call?"

"Sure thing. I'm in no hurry"

Booth phones Brennan to see she has any updates for him

"Brennan"

"Hey Bones, did you get the pictures?"

"Yeah, but only two Samantha and Tony neither of them were a match. Tony was way to big to attack Sarah and Samantha doesn't have enough musucle structure...what about that Rachel girl?"

"Her name is Rachel Hunter look her up in the database and see whatcha get..."

"Hold on I have Angela here with me. Hey Ange!!! look up Rachel Hunter on the computer..."

Angela finds 10 Rachel Hunters and starts narrowing down the search based on Tony's descriptions to Booth.

"Brennan put Booth on speaker phone for me please..."(Ange)

"Angela, Bones you there?"

"Yeah we're here Booth, go on ahead and tell him Angela"

"Booth Rachel Hunter is dead. She died in 2003 in a car crash in Miami. Tony wasn't her boyfriend... he was her cousin. That man lied to you"

Booth brings Samantha back into the interrogation room and very hungryily grabs Tony.

"You lied to the FBI Mr. Pittin Rachel wasn't your girlfriend she was your cousin...was everything else a lie."

"Agent Booth please if you expect to get any info out of Tony it would be best if you not kill him!!!!"(Samantha)

"WHO'S THE GIRLFRIEND TONY?"

"Carly"

"What?"

"Carly was stalking Sarah, writing her threats, and had that small fight."

"That explains why they didn't speak to each other the last few days before Sarah disappered."(Samantha)

"What?"(Booth)

"Yeah Sarah and Carly never spoke those last few days and I kept asking both her and Carly what was wrong but they refused to speak."

"Where's Carly at now?"

"She's still at home I guess. We were watching a movie when I got your call. I told her to just hang out at home and we would go do something when I got done here."

Booth calls Brennan to inform her that they are 90 postive that Carly is their killer. Brennan insists on joining him in arresting her to see if she matches the attackers profile. They immedatley rush to the Prickards' home only to find it empty. Most of Carly's clothes are missing and a message was left on her answering machine. Brennan plays the message hoping it will give them a clue as to where she went.

"This message is for Carly Prickard from the George Washington Airport calling to confirm your last minute flight to London, England flight 937 scheduled to depart at 6:00..."

(The time right now is 5:30)

"We've gotta catch that flight Bones!!!"

They hop into Booth's car and race to the airport not knowing if they would make it or not.


	6. Chapter 6

Booth and Brennan arrive at the airport just 5mins. before flight 937 takes off. While searching in the crowd Brennan overhears some security officers talking about a young woman (who matches Carly's description) being pulled out of line for something. Brennan grabs Booth and they speak to the officers.

"Excuse me, yeah we're from the FBI and are looking for a certain passenger boarding flight 937. Her name is Carly Prickard."

"Just a minute let me check on that...(Guard beeps the checkpoint officer). Yeah has a Carly Prickard boarded flight 937 yet?"

"No she hasn't gone through the entrance gate yet. I think she's the one the checkpoint security officers pulled out of line a few moments ago."(responding officer)

"Try the security room down that hallaway she may be the one they pulled out for suspecious content in her carry-on bag."

"Thanks officer"

Booth and Brennan find the security room and sure enough there's Carly Prickard seated with an airport agent talking to her.

"It's okay officer we're from the FBI we'll take it from here. Here's my badge...Special Agent Seeley Booth and my partner Dr. Temperance Brennan..."

Officer steps out.

"Agent Booth thank god you're here they keep saying I've commited some crime. They said I have some kind of weird contents in bag."

"Carly did you let them look in the bag?"(Brennan)

"NO it's personal private property!!!!"

"Booth she fits the attackers body structure perfectly."

"Carly let's just see what's in the purse..."

Carly (somewhat knowing that she's screwed) hands him the purse. Booth opens it to find a VHS tape.

"What's this a tape of? your favorite TV shows?..."

Slowly a tear starts to come out of Carly's eyes.

"Bones put the tape in"

Brennan puts the tape into the tape player and Booth and Brennan are shocked at what they see. There on the tape shows Carly murdering Sarah excatly as the team figured. Sarah was sitting at her vanity brushing her hair then Carly sneaked up behind her and hit her in the neck with a brick causing her to fall back. Then Carly lifted the body and carried it out of the room. At that moment Carly single tear instantly turned into a river of tears.

"Why Carly? Why did you do it?"

"I found out the Tony was going out with Sarah a few weeks before that happened and I had a horrible feeling of anger and jealousy. I snapped I guess. I needed help, I knew Tony had a friend that was in jail Howard I think his name was. I told him what happened and he offered me protection while he gave me pointers as to how do it. Tony knew I had talked to him and I think he suspected me killing Sarah. The whole thing was just a big misunderstanding and I think Tony was just trying to protect me and Samantha."

Brennan and Booth continue to listen

"The truth is I really miss Sarah she and I truly were good friends. I'm sorry for what I did and then I realized that as the investigation got deeper, I got scared and tried to run. That shirt of Samantha's you found with her hair in it was all my doing as well. I took her hair brush and rubbed it against the shirt knowing some of the hairs would stick to the fiber. The earrings were a gift from my mother before she died when I was 3. She said it would be our special secret and I told no one about them. I dropped them that night. Oh god I can't believe what I've just done...Agent Booth that's the confession please go on and take me in I want to tell my sister evrything and I'm prepared to face the charges for what I did...I'm sorry"

"Carly, sorry unfortunately won't bring Sarah back but knowing that you confessed and that you are prepared to face the consquences I'm sure would make her happy and bring peace to Sarah's mother and family. Your dad and sister will be at the station waiting for you and you can tell them everything."(Brennan)

"I will"

"Increidible"(Booth)

"What?"

"What the power of jealously can do...I mean she murdered Sarah but at the same time she didn't even realize it."

"She found the truth within herself and because she let it out before it destroyed her that will make her life a lot less painful."

"Yeah...I guess it would"

"It's kind of dramatic though I guess how things played out. Epps tried to make us think that they all killed her when in the end they cared so much about each other they were brought closer togehter even through tradegdy..."

"Yeah, well the closes another case..."

"for now..."

"Well I'm off for night Parker and I are going to spend the weekend together. You got any plans?"

"Finish my book it's a month past deadline and I'd really like to get it in before the holidays..."

"Well then I'll see ya monday..."

"Bye Booth..."


End file.
